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December 1966: Dallas is one of 14 cities
invited to participate in The Neighborhood Services Pilot
Program sponsored jointly by the U.S. Department of Labor,
Housing and Urban Development, Health, Education and Welfare,
the Bureau of the Budget, and the Office of Economic Opportunity.

February 1967: After considerable citizen
input, the Dallas City Council passed a resolution accepting
the invitation.

August 1967: The Crossroads Capital Improvements
Bond Issue was approved by the voters of Dallas.

November 1968: The Crossroads Board began
meeting to formulate policy for the Center.

February 1969: The Crossroads Community
Center opened in renovated buildings on its 10.5 acre site.
The center provided an interim program of administration,
client intake and referral, medical and health care, employment
and welfare assistance, community organization, neighborhood
and housing improvement and day care for children.

June 1971: Core service staff and representatives
of 13 affiliate agencies move into the newly built Core Services
Building and medical staff moved into the Medical and Health
Building.

June 1972: The Dallas voters approved a
Bond Issue to fund the Library, Child Care Center, and the
Recreation Center.

January 1975: The Center was renamed The
Martin Luther King Jr. Community Center.

October 1975: First Harambee Festival held
on the grounds of the Martin Luther King Jr. Community Center.

July 3, 1976: Martin Luther King Jr. Statute
dedicated as part of the United States Bicentennial Celebration.
The statue was unveiled by Martin Luther King Sr. More than
4000 people attended the event.

January 1982: The Martin Luther King Jr.
Community Center’s first annual Awards Banquet and parade
was held.

October 1996: More than 25,000 people attended
the annual Harambee Festival.

December 2002: The Martin Luther King Jr.
Community Center received more than $500,000.00 to open a
Computer Technology Center.

October 2004: Dallas’ first Community
Court was opened at the Martin Luther King Jr. Community Center.

SOCIAL VALUE OF THE MARTIN LUTHER KING JR. COMMUNITY
CENTER

More than 300,000 Dallas citizens receive services from the
MLK Center every year. The Center is located on a 10.5 acre
campus in five free-standing buildings. Each building provides
a variety of services meeting the original 1966 goal of a
comprehensive multi-service community center. Currently there
are more than 16 affiliate agencies operating within the Martin
Luther King Jr. Community Center. The MLK Center and its affiliate
agencies also provide a Summer Fan Drive in June; Thanksgiving
Food Baskets and Dinner for the Homeless in November and the
Santa Claus Toy Project in December.

Current Affiliate Agencies include:

Child Care Services

Building B

214-670-8528

The Family Place

Core Building A

214-565-0255

Child Care Group (Head Start)

Building D

214-670-8365

Dallas Metro Care

Core Building A

214-670-8446

MLK Jr. Family Clinic

Building B

214-426-3645

Showers of Blessings Food Pantry

Core Building A

214-670-8434

Texas Workforce Center

Core Building A

214-421-2460

MLK Information

Core Building A

214-670-8418

MLK Jr. Branch Library

Building C

214-670-0344

Emergency Social Services

Core Building A

214-670-8442

Community Technology Center

Core Building A

214-670-8609

Community Court

Core Building A

214-670-7129

Community Services

Core Building A

214-670-8486

MLK Recreation Center

Building E

214-670-8363

South Dallas Fair Park Trust Fund

Core Building A

214-670-8268

WIC Program

Building B

214-670-8506

Senior Citizens Program

Building E

214-670-8169

In addition many civic, social, educational, fraternal and community groups meet at the center on a regular basis. The MLK Jr. Center serves as a polling site in all elections. The Center frequently hosts job fairs and is used for recruitment by the military, colleges and universities, as well as local businesses. Annual community celebrations include: Dr. Martin Luther King Jr. Birthday Celebration, African American History Month, Cinco de Mayo, Juneteenth, Hispanic Heritage Month, and the Harambee Festival.

All residents and their friends and family also have access to the MLK Jr. Center, which provides space for programs, meetings, special events, and additional requests made by residents of our community. Many friends and neighbors volunteer at the MLK Jr. Center to participate in the many activities that are held during the year. The people who volunteer understand the fine line between giving and receiving and at the end of a long day of serving others, the boundary between give and take dissolve and so do many of the cultural differences between the people who have come to be an asset of the community.